External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar recently launched the IITM Global Research Foundation at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras. This initiative aims to expand the institute’s international reach, aiming to become the world’s first multinational university. The launch also marked the start of the IITM Festival Fortnight, preceding two major campus festivals in 2026.
IITM Global’s Mission
The IITM Global initiative seeks to broaden IIT Madras’s international engagement. Its core objective is to facilitate global research, foster innovations, and build academic partnerships. This aims to establish IIT Madras as a worldwide hub for education and advanced research.
Director V. Kamakoti outlined four strategic areas: global technology transfer, collaborative research, international market access for startups, and attracting foreign investments.
IITM Global will operate as a “plug-and-play” platform. It connects researchers, startups, and industry partners with global markets, funding, and research opportunities. Initial operations target the USA, Dubai, Malaysia, and Germany, with further expansion planned.
Key Collaboration Areas
The foundation will concentrate on eight critical technology domains. These include data science, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and cybersecurity. Further focus areas are space technology, advanced mobility, energy/water sustainability, healthcare technology, and green technologies.
IIT Madras has signed multiple memoranda of understanding (MoUs). These agreements are with institutions in the USA, the United Kingdom, Germany, Dubai, and the Asia-Pacific region, including Singapore and Malaysia.
Six additional partnerships were established under the ‘India-for-Global’ initiative. These collaborations prioritize joint research, industry engagement, startup ecosystems, and technology transfer.
Minister Jaishankar’s Remarks
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar addressed attendees at the launch. He emphasized national development relies on domestic strength before global engagement. “India has never viewed the world with a hostile perspective,” Jaishankar stated.
He highlighted the importance of maximizing impact with limited resources. Jaishankar cited the IIT Madras campus in Tanzania. This project demonstrates how Indian institutions contribute to international development.
The event was attended by IIT Madras Director V. Kamakoti, Dean of Global Engagement Raghunathan Rengaswamy, and CEO of IIT Madras Global Research Foundation Madhav Narayan. Professors, researchers, and students were also present.
IIT Madras Strength and Rankings
IIT Madras boasts significant academic infrastructure. It comprises 18 academic departments, 15 Centres of Excellence, and 23 research centres. The institute also maintains nearly 100 advanced laboratories.
Its academic community includes over 650 faculty members, educating more than 10,000 students. IIT Madras has consistently held the top position in both overall and engineering categories in the NIRF rankings for many years.
Globally, IIT Madras ranks 180th in the QS World University Rankings. It holds the 56th position in Asia within the same ranking system.
Upcoming Campus Events
The IITM Festival Fortnight includes an “Open House” event. This offers the public access to IIT Madras’s laboratories and innovation centres. It provides a direct view into the institute’s research activities.
The annual technical festival, Shaastra 2026 , is scheduled from January 2 to 6, 2026 . The cultural festival, Saarang 2026 , will take place from January 8 to 12, 2026 .